Both the Starcraft Marine Limited 226 2011 and the Starcraft Marine Starfish 236 Cruise-N-Fish 2013 are pontoon designs, both built in aluminium, so the buying decision usually comes down to a handful of practical questions: how many people are you putting on the water, how far do you trailer, and what does your tow vehicle weigh?

On paper these two are close siblings in the size department - Starcraft Marine Limited 226 2011 at 22,3 ft versus Starcraft Marine Starfish 236 Cruise-N-Fish 2013 at 24,8 ft. Weight tells a clearer story for trailering families: the Starcraft Marine Starfish 236 Cruise-N-Fish 2013 tips the scales at 2 280 lbs - 330 lbs less than the Starcraft Marine Limited 226 2011 at 1 950 lbs. That difference is meaningful if you're working within a half-ton or three-quarter-ton truck's tow rating, especially once you factor in a motor, gear, and fuel.

Both boats share a closely matched power ceiling - 150 hp for the Starcraft Marine Limited 226 2011 and 150 hp for the Starcraft Marine Starfish 236 Cruise-N-Fish 2013. Real-world performance will come down more to which motor is actually bolted on, its load at the time, and whether it's a 4-stroke or 2-stroke setup. Fuel capacity breaks the other way: the Starcraft Marine Starfish 236 Cruise-N-Fish 2013 carries 30 gallons versus 24 gallons in the Starcraft Marine Limited 226 2011. On a lake day that's negligible, but for coastal cruising or long reservoir runs the extra range matters.

For family outings this is probably the sharpest distinction between the two. The Starcraft Marine Starfish 236 Cruise-N-Fish 2013 is rated for 16 passengers, while the Starcraft Marine Limited 226 2011 caps at 11. If you're regularly pulling extended family or a group of friends onto the water, the extra seats on the Starcraft Marine Starfish 236 Cruise-N-Fish 2013 could be the deciding factor.